# It is an enigma . **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2009, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466 "2009-06-02T07:05:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/21 "2009-06-03T14:13:31Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > The paragraph mark at the beginning also suggests it’s in reverse order. The Twitter feed has a picture of Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. Rather, I think the paramark is a reference to the 2090th paragraph in the book (are there that many paragraphs in the book?). It may be a Vigenere cypher. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/22 "2009-06-03T15:38:02Z")
Y’know, good call. I saw that cover… and I didn’t even make the connection of it relating to a paragraph in the book. I’ll bet you’re on to something there, CRSP. I have the book on my iPhone (Classics App)… any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/23 "2009-06-03T15:48:06Z")
If it is a Vigenere cypher, we’ll need a passphrase to plug in here: [http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/vigenere-autokey.php](http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/vigenere-autokey.php) or this: [http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/vigenere-keyed.php](http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/vigenere-keyed.php) or this? [http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/vigenere.php](http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/vigenere.php) ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/24 "2009-06-03T15:55:15Z")
Ugh. I’ll be damed if I’m going to count 2,090 paragraphs. That can’t be it. I mean it could be, if someone was cruel. So it probably is. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/25 "2009-06-03T16:13:04Z")
My hunch: The paragraph will be a one word paragraph. Like a word a character says. And that word won’t have any repeating letters in it. Anyone have the book in a digital format (The Gutenberg Project?). And a way to thumb through or have a word processor automatically bring you to a paragraph (or word) count? What worries me is all the numbers and letters combined in the code. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/26 "2009-06-03T16:17:49Z")
[Here’s the same edition](http://www.archive.org/details/adventureshuckle00twaiiala) of Huck Finn the cover appears to be from. Not sure how to get it in a format where you can flip to a paragraph though. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/27 "2009-06-03T16:24:19Z")
Yeh, the version I have has an Introduction. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/28 "2009-06-03T16:24:23Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > I instantly got a 14 k of g in a f p d vibe from this. Or a “blind man, deaf man, mute man live together and how does the mute guy tell the blind guy that deafie felched his last good goat” vibe. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/29 "2009-06-03T16:56:45Z")
> [@freudian slit](#): > > or a “blind man, deaf man, mute man live together and how does the mute guy tell the blind guy that deafie felched his last good goat” vibe. … — .-.. -.-- / … … .. - --..-- / -… — -… --..-- / .-.. .- .-. .-. -.-- / .— ..- … - / ..-. ..- -.-. -.- . -.. / -.-- — ..- .-. / --. — .- - .-.-.- ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/30 "2009-06-03T16:59:12Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > … — .-.. -.-- / … … .. - --..-- / -… — -… --..-- / .-.. .- .-. .-. -.-- / .— ..- … - / ..-. ..- -.-. -.- . -.. / -.-- — ..- .-. / --. — .- - .-.-.- Now that was funny. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/31 "2009-06-03T17:02:22Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > Now that was funny. Please to explain? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/32 "2009-06-03T17:05:01Z")
It is Morse code for: HOLY SHIT, BOB, LARRY JUST FUCKED YOUR GOAT. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/33 "2009-06-03T17:05:42Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Please to explain? ☹ [http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/morse.php](http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/morse.php) ---
**Author:** ![Here\_Come\_Dots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cc9497/32.png) [@Here\_Come\_Dots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Here_Come_Dots)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/34 "2009-06-04T12:17:13Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Is there any other forum, besides the Dope, that is aware of this? More background, **Here Come Dots?** I’ve been trying to generate some interest on Twitter without much success. Does anyone else know anyone with a large following who could raise this puzzle’s profile? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/35 "2009-06-04T16:30:55Z")
> [@Here\_Come\_Dots](#): > > I’ve been trying to generate some interest on Twitter without much success. Does anyone else know anyone with a large following who could raise this puzzle’s profile? I’m thinking you can submit it to [Digg.com](http://Digg.com) or something? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/36 "2009-06-04T16:44:49Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > If it is a Vigenere cypher, we’ll need a passphrase to plug in here: The problem is that it doesn’t appear to be a typical Vigenere, with the inclusion of all those numerals. Normally, a Vigenere wraps around the alphabet, although it is not impossible to come up with various encodings that would map numbers to letters. Most, if not all, of your online solvers will ignore any numerals in your cipher text. Vigeneres are actually pretty easy to solve, even if you don’t know the passphrase. There’s two different common attacks for it, one involving index of coincidence and another involving finding repeating digraphs or trigraphs and their spacing to figure out the keyword’s length. After that, it’s a matter of solving several simple Caesar (shift) ciphers based on frequency analysis. Way back when, I wrote a simple BASIC program to prove to myself how simple it is to solve. Problem here is, for this analysis, is that I don’t know how the letters and numbers are meant to map. With a traditional Vigenere, it’s just a simple shift. Also, if the keyword is of any reasonable length (say, more than five characters), we’re going to have a difficult time using this approach as the ciphertext may not yield enough letters for a frequency analysis. ---
**Author:** ![Here\_Come\_Dots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cc9497/32.png) [@Here\_Come\_Dots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Here_Come_Dots)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/37 "2009-06-04T16:53:18Z")
I submitted it to Digg. Please digg it up: [http://digg.com/odd\_stuff/Help\_Solve\_This\_Puzzle](http://digg.com/odd_stuff/Help_Solve_This_Puzzle) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/38 "2009-06-04T17:22:21Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > [http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/morse.php](http://rumkin.com/tools/cipher/morse.php) Nice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/39 "2009-06-04T20:52:49Z")
> [@Here\_Come\_Dots](#): > > I submitted it to Digg. Please digg it up: [http://digg.com/odd\_stuff/Help\_Solve\_This\_Puzzle](http://digg.com/odd_stuff/Help_Solve_This_Puzzle) Dugg. ---
**Author:** ![Here\_Come\_Dots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cc9497/32.png) [@Here\_Come\_Dots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Here_Come_Dots)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466/40 "2009-06-05T10:42:46Z")
I asked @ImagineAnew, “Any hints?” yesterday afternoon, and I woke up this morning to find this response: @HereComeDots ¶56 VXXC EV26 TQJ3 5RIP PUPY ZI63 KCC2 GYB2 6Y2Y 0CB5 H67B 9YZC IH7H 7GYM GHCA MG30 474Y ZC2M 1YB5 3HYB MH67 B5H6 3MDF YM4C [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-is-an-enigma/498466.md?page=3)